It is true.
I’ve been rebuked by more than one of you for not posting a follow up on the Frivolous Friday post. By the way, you totally saw the title of this post and thought it was going to be a controversial theological post, didn’t you? Could not be further from the truth, my dear friends. Could not be further from the truth.
I had so much fun reading all of your comments. And yes, I read every single one of them and made a list of about thirty new perfumes that I had never encountered and headed to Lenox Mall & then Phipps Plaza to complete my research. These were some of my top favorites though I did not purchase them in the end. So here were the runners-up that I hope to try in the future:
Trish McEvoy #9 (Blackberry & Vanilla Musk- so soft… loved it)
Jo Malone Fragrances- I liked SEVERAL of her fragrances… a perfume junkie really should stay away from her counter. I was like a little kid in a candy store.
Viva La Juicy- This one took me by surprise. I was turned off by both the name and the bottle at first sight but I LOVED the fragrance. Very girly-girl but still so contemporary and playful.
So here are the goods:
The day I posted my blog, Roxanne Worsham, a Siesta, wrote me and told me she wanted to send me a bottle of her favorite perfume for my birthday. How could I really have resisted this…? See for yourself what was in the package she sent me:
So so fun!!! I have fallen in love with Chanel Chance. I really am not exaggerating when I say that people ask me everywhere I go what perfume I am wearing. It is the perfect fusion of sweet and spice. So, Roxanne, thank you so much for your incredible thoughtfulness and generosity. I feel like a total classic Diva wearing this stuff.
Last but not least, several of you mentioned Creed fragrances which are primarily sold at Neiman Marcus. Needless to say, Colin and I do NOT frequent Neiman Marcus but it was, after all, my birthday. So Colin and I spent about an hour with this wonderful lady who seriously must have had her doctorate in perfumeology. I’m not sure perfumeology is a word or a legitimate degree but this woman was amazing. I smelled each and every Creed fragrance and then she introduced me to Creed’s latest fragrance, Acqua Fiorentina. She explained how the top-notes were plum and green-something or other and there were apparently Renaissance roses all thrown in there …and oh yeah, she mentioned something about bergamot and cedar wood and sandal wood. Etc. Etc. I got lost right about there. I thought at first that Acqua Fiorentina was far too regal and floral for me. And did I add that the perfume itself is pink? I’m not really a pink type. But then she full on ordered me (with authority I might add) to walk around the store for a few minutes and allow it to settle in on me. And then I became obsessed. It was euphoric. But then there was that little tiny part about how 1 oz. of this stuff costs $130. So I became bitter, lost interest, and quickly shuffled off to move to my next perfume victim. Out of sight, out of mind, right??? Or, is it, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”…? In any case, I was beyond ecstatic when Colin lost his mind and bought me the little bottle of it for my birthday. He definitely splurged on me. I was so happy and felt so spoiled by my man even though I only get to wear it about once a week because every spray is about $10.
So in answer to your question this is where I’m at on my perfume journey…Chanel Chance for daily wear & Acqua Fiorentina for VERY limited use. I will say that I have gotten as many compliments on the former as I have the latter which is encouraging since Colin says he will never be buying from the Creed counter ever again. 🙂 So, Roxanne, thank you for your incredible kindness to me. I was so spoiled. It was a monumentally fragrant birthday for me!
By the way, have I mentioned that my Mom made a surprise visit to Atlanta yesterday??? She called me yesterday morning and told me she would be here around 1:00 and we took the latter part of the afternoon off from work and just relaxed, hung out, and played until she had to leave at 9:00!!! It was so good for my soul to see her! It was exactly what I needed, just a fun and lighthearted afternoon.
We played for a few minutes at H&M and both marveled at how tiny these jeans were:
Honestly, who is really supposed to wear those?
Then, I took her to eat an early dinner at Floataway Cafe’ where we had one of the top meals of our lives.
Such whimsical and dreamy interiors:
Mom, unknowingly getting ready for the Pasta of her life. What makes me laugh about this picture is that for some reason her booth was lower to the ground than my chair and I am already a good four and a half inches taller than her and so she looks so tiny here. I kept telling her all throughout dinner how cute she looked and I finally realized it was because she looked so short and sweet.
Warm Cheese Gougeres… help me, someone.
Last but not least was dessert. Warm Toffee Pudding Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. I kid you not, this was the best dessert I’ve ever had in my life. I nearly passed out. By the way, the reason there are no pictures of our main entrees is because we scarfed them down in about thirty seconds.
About to drop my Mom off at the airport. Already getting sad but still so excited to see her!
We sure love all of you Siestas and talked about you even last night at dinner!
Melissa, so glad you guys got to have that special mom-daughter time!
ps. I'm going to show my ignorance here — I don't even know what H&M is! They must not have them in my neck of the woods 🙂
Yummy yummy food! Sounds like the perfect mom/daughter day *U*
love the little cheesey-thingies.
I don't usually post here, but do adore Beth and have done most of her studies, and when I saw the perfume and food…well, I had to leave a comment. I like the Hollister perfumes for teenagers…I know, I know…but age is just a number!
OK, Miss Melissa, where DID you get those shoes??? What little I can see of them, I am in serious lust over. xoxox Terri
I would love to hop a flight to Atlanta and spend some time with a favorite Titus 2 woman there. Thanks for the perfume FYI! When we were in Egypt at Sharm el-Sheikh, they gave us a lot of info on their scents, too. And tea. And lots of conversation. To the point you feel obligated to buy something. 🙂
Moore Girls~ YOU.TWO.ARE.STUNNING…Like Always! So excited to see Mama Beth in Springfield in NOVEMBER! I still can't believe how blessed our State will be in just a couple of months. LOVE to you all!
Can you do a test of your readers to find the best male cologne? My husband wants me to pick something I like. I did, but now I hate it.
I live here in ATL and the closest I get to really eating out is IHop, Los Bravos, and Pappasito's.
(I did make it to a Cheescake Factory near the Ann Taylor Loft at Northpoint a while back though… yum!)
I need to venture downtown sometime and try some of these amazing places you talk about. I've lived here 2 years, and have seen more of this city through your eyes than I have my own yet!
…I could tell you all about the inside of my kids' elementary school, Dobbins ARB (my husband's "office"), the Starbucks 2 miles from my home, our local Publix, and Trader Joe's though… 🙂
does that count?
What a great surprise for you– you have an awesome Mom! And if your man is going to go crazy, that's a good way to do it, don't you think?
I'll have to try the Chance–I've worn Chanel since college days (couldn't afford it 'til then) but it's always been No.5 or Coco. This newer one sounds intreging. If you go on a cruise (or your Mom does) have them look for both of your new fragrances in the Duty Free shop-nice savings.
The lunch looks yummy, especially the dessert. I bet the person that fit in those jeans didn't eat that dessert!! But I'm thinkin' any of you Moore girls could probably get in them.
Have a great weekend!
I love posts like this! And I must say that Miss Beth's hair looks fantastic! I love that style. And of course you just have beautiful hair anyway. Buncha perties y'all are!
I'm absolutely thrilled that SOMEONE rebuked you, because I too just had the thought recently that we hadn't received the elusive update from you 🙂 Give your Colin a kiss on the cheek for being a good hubby and escorting you to the fragrance counter…I know how hard that can be for a man. Several years ago I told my hubby I really wanted him to pick out a fragrance for me, and he huffed and puffed the whole way to the store. Something about men shopping for women is just too complicated for my poor hubby to comprehend. Now me on the other hand, I can shop for him until Kingdom Come!!
I love that you both got to spend some wonderful time together. You both look darling!!!!!
Haagen-Dazs' Sticky Toffee Pudding ice cream is amazing! I can, but haven't for a long time, eat the whole pint alone. I won't even tell you the calorie count…scary! It is safely my favorite ice cream.
Actually, I don't think I've had it since I lost my 70 lbs…hmmm, I wonder if there's a connection there? 😉
So happy for you that you were able to spend some time with your mom. Living only a couple blocks from my mom, I sometimes fear that I take for granted all the time I get to spend with her.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Darlene
Chanel Chance is my perfume of choice…I went to Dillards to get a completely different one (i can't remember what now) when the 70 year old lady working the chanel counter talked me into it… "all the hip young girls are wearing it"
How can you say no to that!? Ha
And it's good to get spoiled by your man every once in a while!!
I loved this post!
What a fun day!!!
A shopping day with my mom is always a favorite of mine. Doesn't happen often because of distance, but when it does….oh boy do we have a good time. 🙂
LOVE the Fleur de lis on the perfume bottle! (glad you posted a follow up!)
Blessings!
steph.
Ok…the surprise is sooooo precious.
And then the restaurant is way cool and the food made my mouth water right here at the computer.
The dessert looked divine.
Melissa…i'm in such a cruddy season right now that you have no idea how thankful I am for your mom and LPM. So grateful for what her studies have taught me so I can perse-dang-vere when I'm just so sick of it. THANK YOU!!!
Love you all,
Fran
TN
aaaaaargh! you were about two blocks from me!!!
FloatAway is my favorite restaurant. We take all our candidates there.
or we used to , before the budget cuts.
But anyway, what an amazing birthday surprise and such a sweet thing for your mom to do.
best thing I ever had there was this dish that sounds totally gross but was really divine: chicken livers grilled on rosemary skewers. the rosemary permeated everything…yummmmm sorry, back from memory-land now.
Love that you have two perfumes: one for every day and one for special occasions.
Ya'll are just too cute.
I absolutely LOVE when y'all post pictures of your meals!!! YUMMY!!!!!
I loved the post and I am going to have to go perfum exploring now! Where did you go to dinner?? all the food looked amazing 🙂 yum yum!
Melissa- thanks so much for the post. No kidding, I was thinking about your perfume selection THIS morning! I am so glad you were able to spend some time with your mom.
Melissa,
You absolutely made the right choice! I've been wearing Chance for years, and I still get stopped all the time – by men and women! I won't wear anything else. Hooray for you!
onehappychic
Crawford, Texas
Love this post. Those desserts look so yummy. Mothers and Daughters are the best! Kathie/Chattanooga
Okay, Melissa. I've learned something about perfume and flies. I looked up the word "smell" in my Bible concordance and it led me to Ecc 10:1 … "As dead flies give perfume a bad smell, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor." What is that?! There are dead flies on every window ledge in Texas, so it seems … and I've never noticed an odor! You can't eat in a restaurant without a little dead visitor laying next to you on the window ledge, but you just eat and press on like it isn't there! So I looked up the verse in my Wycliffe Bible Commentary … which said, "If a fly, one of the scourges of the East, becomes engulfed in perfume and dies, its decaying body ruins all the perfume. So a little folly can degrade much wisdom and honor. It may seem insignificant, but it can destroy all the good that wisdom has accomplished." Did you know that about flies? I did not! Girl … keep the flies out of your perfume!! Don't let them get anywhere near your $130 ounce of perfume!!
You girls are precious and keep me giggling!!
Love you dearly,
Shelli
What fun! The look of that food makes me hungry!! Warm cheese anything works for me!! It's great that you and your mom got to spend some time together. The cafe looks great, I love to find great places to eat.
I wish I could smell through the computer screen! Can't wait to get to Neiman's… wonder if they'd have a sample. So glad you were pampered on your birthday — and got to enjoy a visit with your mom… Cute pictures!
Melissa-
Thanks for the update on your perfume journey. What a man you have, girl! You are blessed and you smell good too! Wow!
How cool of your mom to pop in on you. Looks like you really enjoyed yourselves. What fun!
Kels
Awwl!! I love y'all!
I live in Georgia. In fact, I interned for six weeks in Atlanta at the Gospel Music Channel…..then went to Nashville for another internship…. However GMC was so wonderful.. so I will be going back there in January after I graduate!
I also plan to drive out to the Siesta Scripture Memory party as a graduation present/ getaway (and I speak at a church in Waxahatchie the following weekend)! I can't wait to meet everyone!
when we went to the French Riveria, we toured a perfume factory…they actually TRAIN people to be smellers…and the training is longer than it takes to be a doctor!!!! They make a ton of money, and only work a few hours each day…b/c their noses wear out. You'll have to visit there one day!!! 🙂
Loved the perfume update. I like to smell good but I usually don't like perfume. Perhaps I am not being discriminating enough. How fun to have a unexpected mother/daughter day.
I always thought that your Momma was talented — and now I know her secret — she is an elf…thanks for sharing with the world! : )
Thanks for adding a smile to my Thursday!
Shawna
What a fun blog….sweet time for you both to be together. I get some "girl time" next week end, when my daughter Alicia comes home (she lives in DC) for the week end. hope to do "brunch" and check out the perfume counter with your recommendations…Melissa, Alicia was at Wheaton as an undergrad, I think you may have been there at the same time. She graduated in 2006. anyway, thanks for the post. made me smile…blessings on you, Pam in San Diego
Melissa, I went in and tried Victoria's Secret *Silk* over the weekend per someone's suggestion on that post, and OH MY… talk about enthralled! I LOVE that stuff!
Heavenly post…
fragrance
fellowship
fashion
Thank you for the pictures in your post. I am o.so.visual and it brings your words to life.
Imagining your J*O*Y over your mom's surprise visit and the two gifts of fragrance. Applauding Siesta Roxanne and Colin.
Somehow I believe your Heavenly Father was behind all of this.
What a delightful post!
What a fun peek at your lunch with your mom! Sometimes those visits are just life to us.
How sweet is that! I want to know how you two can eat food like that and look so stunning? I bet I gained at least 3 pounds just from the pictures (would have been another 2-3 if I had to smell it).
I am so excited for the Simulcast later this month. I can hardly contasin myself. We have about 20 from the church going. It will be a great time. Just can't wait.
Love you ladies. (Beth: I'm up to 63 pound weight loss since I have come to know who you are. I am so thankful for the Agod I have come to know and love. I give Him all the glory because I am not doing anything new except memory work and Bible study. PTL)
Thanks for posting. I love hearing from yu guys.
Jan
That was a sweet and fragrant post. Might have to try Chanel Chance but not the Creed one, in case I like it!!! And YAY for Colin, spoiling you. Good man. Good man.
Tell your mom we need to know which pen she picked. Cuz unless it's $130, I'm gonna go buy one for myself.
And I don't know….but those jeans look like they could fit you, to me.
Melana in Wyoming
I SO SO LOVE YOU! You just keep smellin divine! I hope to try the Chanel (allergies can really mess up the plan sometimes) I am so blessed that you got to see your mom, and that your hubby blessed you abundantly as well with such lovely perfume. Your pictures and your friendship make my day. Thanks for following up on the frivolous friday (the name makes my day too–I'm so simple!)and updating us on the perfume choice. Now we are waiting for the ultimate pen choice–you are awesome! 🙂
Your lovely mother will be rebuked as well if she fails to reveal her pen winner….we NEED to know these things!!!
Like mother like daughter! Melissa, I don't think I can look at the pictures you post of desserts anymore. They make me want to fly out to Atlanta just to get some, and I don't have that kind of money to pay for dessert. I'm glad you found some new perfumes that you love.
And, Beth, I'm in love with that zebra print jacket! I've been obsessed with animal print my whole life, and I think that jacket is simply amazing! God bless!
Ok Melissa, why are you NOT my daughter in law????- I think the next great prayer effort should be for those of us with sons (ages 26-30) who want the Amandas and Melissas of the world to connect with our "fabulous" sons and Love Them and for them to bless and Love YOU!, for Pete's sake- Your mother in laws' are so blessed, young ladies, you do reflect your parents great gift of healing and love- Lots of love and admiration, An Aunt Siesta
Do they sell the perfume at Walmart?
Oh, Melissa….I feel like I have been on a shopping adventure with you, then out to dinner with you and "our" mother. (All of us Siestas claim her…so SHARE!) Thank you for letting me tag along on these adventures!
Loves…Sue
Am I the only Siesta that just LOVES every post? It just helps me, even if it is about temporal things like perfume. I think I like it because it shows me over and over again that you guys are living life here just like all the rest of us and it makes you that much more attractive!
I am so happy for you Melissa that Bethie came to see you. It looks like it was a "delicious" visit that was every minute enjoyed.
Today I had to go out of town, about 60 miles, for business and it's a small town that I never stop at, just drive through on the way to Branson or Sprignfield. Anyway I had lunch at a neighborhood bakery that I always see but never stop at….it was their own unique French Dip on their own homemade bread! Oh it was good!
Glad you had a nice visit and found some perfume, you've got me thinking about maybe branching out….but I do love my Poison!
P.S.
All this talk about restaurants makes me want to ask a quesiton.
After my sister and I go to Memphis in October we are going on vacation to Nashville. So, where are a few places we shoudln't miss?
We do want to go to the Aquariam or Rainforest and one day we are going on the General Jackosn cruise.
We are also spending one day in Gatlinburg, is there one do not miss place we need to know about?
I should mention we are on a budget!!
Thanks!
What a fun post and pictures. Enjoy your new perfumes.
I just love how real ya'll are! Its like a have a super good friend who tells me all the juicy stuff, but has some major substance behind it all too! hee hee!
I am a total opposite of a perfume junkie. Can't stand wearing it, but I appreciate your search and dedication to it. We all have our "thang!"
I knew you'd like Juicy. I knew it!!
I'm so happy I need to go spray some on.
That was such a sweet surprise! I love you all, & hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
How cute! Y'all look like such wonderful women and so beautiful! I am so excited that I am going to begin doing Esther next week. I love learning anything from the Moore ladies. All of you are such God-breathed!
OH!! I am sooooo glad you posted an update on the perfumes! And how wonderful and generous of your man to splurge for your birthday. I love to see how much he loves you!!
Love your mom's new do – super cute! And oh. my. does that food look delish!!!!
hugs,
rachel